Bill Engvall

His catchphrase "Here's your sign" made Bill Engvall one of the funniest men in America. A Texan comic who appealed to the Everyman, Engvall co-founded "Blue Collar Comedy Tour," a successful stand-up...
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ABC
Ah, fauxmance: one of the mainstays of scripted reality TV. It's a conceit that's always had a huge presence on Dancing with the Stars – after all, if our dancers and stars can get tongues wagging, it helps viewership and the voting. But is it really the right avenue for the show to be traveling? The forced flirtation can get uncomfortable at times, and this season's milking our speculation for all it is worth with not one, not two, but three potential fauxmances:
* First, we've got James Maslow and Peta Murgatroyd – legend has it, they went out on a date before the show started, yet he never called (ouch). Nowadays, they talk a lot about their good chemistry, and tease us with the tidbit that they might give it another try once the mirrorball trophy is safe in their hands.
* Next, we've got Cody Simpson and Witney Carson. He has a girlfriend, yet much hullabaloo was made when he deemed her moves "distracting."
* And last, but not least, we've got Meryl Davis and Maksim Chmerkovskiy, who can't seem to stop singing each other's praises. And after a particularly steamy number a couple of weeks ago, Erin Andrews presented them with a rather intimate-looking screen grab, causing Davis to go scarlet and get all giggly.
Even in the most recent episode, where everyone switched partners, the mixed-up pairs didn't get away scot free. Maslow jokingly tweeted at Charlie White not to get too comfortable with Murgatroyd, prompting host Erin Andrews to question their relationship status – then as Davis made the "Chmer-swap-skiy" from Maks to Val, more than a little playful banter about "incestuous adultery" ensued.
The fauxmances might be a fun way to stir speculation and recruit voters, but is it really something the show needs? It's true that DWTS really comes down to the relationships between partners, but the non-romantic (and perhaps more genuine) feelings are just as, if not more, compelling. Last season's Emma Slater and Bill Engvall's father-daughter relationship got more followers than Brant Daugherty and Peta Murgatroyd's flirtatious banter, after all.
What do you think?
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ABC
As a show in its 18th (!) season, it makes sense that Dancing with the Stars decides to revamp and retool as it goes along. In fact, just this season, they replaced host Brooke Burke-Charvet with Erin Andrews – a change welcomed by many fans, who had taken to referring to the former co-host as the "Brooke-bot." Among other changes new to Season eighteen, DWTS has also decided to add a fairly revolutionary twist: with the advent of the "Switch-Up," fans were able to cast their votes via Twitter for new pairings – in other words, they're choosing the dancing partners for Episode 4.
Now, DWTS has always been a show that relies heavily on fan input – it's one of the reasons the show is filmed live, unlike other reality competitions like America's Next Top Model, or Project Runway. When it comes to judging and eliminations, fan vote makes up a whopping 50 percent of the final decision, which allows technically less gifted dancers to progress quite far in the season. It's a great way to keep viewers on their toes, and give them a real input into the season – and now they have even more.
Which should be good, right? Making fans more invested should be a good thing! But there's something else to consider: dance competition though it may be, DWTS is really all about the chemistry. And we don't just mean physical or romantic chemistry, either – using last season as an example, Bill Engvall and Emma Slater's charming father/daughter feelings helped them get almost all the way to the finals (and Jack Osbourne and Cheryl Burke's brotherly/sisterly relationship wasn't too bad either). Already this season, there's a flirtation (scripted or otherwise) between a few of the pairs (most notably between Maks Chemerkovskiy and Meryl Davis), and is that really something we want to tamper with? They say no – in this week's episode, Maks said, "The worst thing that could happen is the switch." He said it with a twinkle in his eye, but there could be more than a grain of truth in that comment.
What do you think? Will the switch-up liven things up, or grind things to a halt? Vote below:
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ABC Television Network
Ah, Dancing With The Stars. How we've missed you.
The sparkles, bad puns (Carrie-Ann Inaba: "I've got a big time crush on you"), and plethora of rivalries/budding romances are back.
The season's off to a fortuitous start, with quite the crop of dancers. High points (predictably) included Charlie White and Sharna Burgess, who got unanimous nines from the judges after their graceful and polished modern dance. White's Olympic partner Meryl Davis also did quite well with new partner Maksim Chmerkovsky on a cha-cha (filled with tight spins certainly worthy of an ice dancer), which raked in 24 points. Paralympian snowboarder (and recent bronze medalist) also stunned judges, tying with Meryl and Maks.
Like Meryl and Charlie, the show also pointed to a rivalry between '90s stars Danica McKellar and Candice Cameron Bure. Both faired very well, respectively scoring 24 and 25, with Bure edging McKellar out by a single point after a stellar contemporary dance. (Side note: after she requested a more modest costume, I thought we'd actually get something tasteful, but alas, it was just as tacky, if more covered-up). If I were Davis, I'd be watching my back with these two – I mean, getting out-scored by Charlie is one thing (Canadian rival Scott Moir actually predicted things would tip in "Chuck's" favor out of the two of them, and he's right so far), but by no-dance-training actresses? Better hit the studio hard this week!
On the other side of the spectrum: Billy Dee Williams, alas. Williams danced a delightful yet lackluster Star Wars-themed cha-cha – sometimes, I wish there could be some sort of grading curve, as Williams is pushing 80, and has undergone two hip replacements. He should have at least gotten extra points for donning his old Lando Calrissian cape! Swimmer Diana Nyad (one of the more head-scratching picks for the cast) pulled in second to last. She might be the one going home – although Williams scored lower, I'm sure he has a huge fan base. I could also see former NFL player Sean Avery (who scored 20 points with partner Karina Smirnoff) getting eliminated: he was surprisingly un-graceful for an athlete, and he doesn't exactly have the most endearing personality.
DWTS takes a little healthy speculation – and what can I say? Looks like DWTS has gotten me hooked once again.
Class Superlatives
Best Dressed: Drew Carey and Cheryl Burke – they're Monopoly-inspired costumes were on point.
Most Hyperactive: Danica McKellar, by a landslide.
Most Awkward: That's a tie between Cody Simpson/Witney Carson (he called her dancing "distracting," as his girlfriend watched from the audience) and James Maslow/Peta Murgatroyd (apparently, they went on a date and he didn't call after). Oh, and runner-up is Meryl Davis/Maksim Chmerkovsky: Meryl/Charlie shippers the world over collectively cringed when she (very) emphatically denied the fact that she and Charlie were dating, as she all but batted her eyes at her new partner. Oh, DWTS – you and your slightly-canned so-called romances!
Best Serial Killer Eyes: Sean Avery. The judges call it "intensity," I call it scary. To-may-to, to-mah-to.
The Dark Horse: Drew Carey. Drew pulled in respectable-yet-middling scores, but I can see him making it far in the competition. Personality gets you far on DWTS (remember Bill Engvall from last season?), and Cheryl's taken a lot of stars to the finals.
And just for fun:

Columbia Pictures
Hollywood is a magical place where you can go from the mail room to the board room. It takes time to build a career and a lot of small roles before the big break. But one major role can turn you into a household name. Some of Hollywood’s hottest actors have small roles in memorable movies that will leave you shocked you missed them.
Melissa McCarthy in Charlie’s Angels
McCarthy is a comedic powerhouse who became a household name after 2011's Bridesmaids. It may be hard to believe that she was once a near-extra who called Lucy Liu a b**ch in Charlie’s Angels. She also had a small role in Go and was featured in the trailer.
Jennifer Lawrence on My Super Sweet 16 promos
Lawrence is so successful at the young age of 23, it can be hard to believe she's been in the business for years already. Lawrence started off playing the title character's daughter on The Bill Engvall Show, and found a spot in these promos for a particularly regrettable reality series.
Paula Patton in Hitch
Patton's relationship with Robin Thicke post-Blurred Lines has put her name on everyone’s lips. She has found success in the Mission Impossible films and has some buzz around her film career. But back in 2005, her first role was in this questionably funny Will Smith comedy.
Christina Hendricks on Undressed
Hendricks found the role of a lifetime as Mad Men's waning queen bee Joan Holloway. Long before playing the strong but unfortunate advertising agency secretary, however, Hendricks appeared on MTV’s sex-fueled soap Undressed.
Rooney Mara in Youth in Revolt
Before her ascension to films like The Social Network, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and Side Effects, Mara starred in this forgettable Michael Cera offbeat comedy. With this movie, she kicked off her pattern of playing intense, intelligent, and sexual characters... a pratice that has served her well.
Rashida Jones &amp; Steven Moyer in Ny-Lon
Granted, you wouldn't really call a starring role in a series a "small" one. However, this British TV show is widely unknown in the States, so we'll count it. Jones played a New Yorker in a long-distance relationship with a British businessman (Moyer).
Jane Krakowski in Vacation
People remember Krakowski for 30 Rock and her role on Ally McBeal, but she began the trade as a child actor. She delivers one of the most memorable lines in this popular 1980s comedy.
Steve Carell in Curly Sue
Now one of Hollywood’s biggest comedy actors, Carell started his film career with a non-speaking role. He might not be the first actor to play a background waiter, but very few of those were called "Tesio."
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Country singer Gretchen Wilson and comedian Bill Engvall are the latest celebrities to step in as last-minute replacements to headline shows at SeaWorld in the aftermath of documentary Blackfish. Wilson and Engvall will take the stage in Orlando, Florida for the second week of SeaWorld's 2014 Bands, Brews and BBQ concert series, starting next Saturday (08Feb14).
Bosses at SeaWorld were forced to scramble to fill in spots left by nine artists, including Willie Nelson, Cheap Trick and Heart, who all cancelled their gigs at the embattled theme park after watching Blackfish, a film which exposed the bleak conditions faced by captured killer whales housed at the location.
Wilson and Engvall are following in the footsteps of Kid Rock and Alan Jackson, who kicked off the concert series last week (01Feb14).
Other replacement performers for the six-week series are expected to be announced soon.

ABC
My eyes are still recovering after four hours (four hours!) of sparkle exposure. (I complain, but I love it.) Part I of the DWTS finale was pretty jam-packed: in addition to their judges' choice dances, the four finalists had to do a samba relay challenge and a freestyle challenge.
The judges' choice dances were interesting to watch: the judges chose something they wanted to the see the competitors work on improving. We got to see repeats of old dances – most contestants improved, even Bill, who managed all nines. Next came the Samba Relay. As with many challenges, Corbin and Karina reigned supreme, though Amber got points from Carrie Ann ("That was some nice undulation going on"), and Bill got an honorable mention for briefly shakin' it with Derek.
The freestyles, as it turned out, were the main event for finale part I: they were basically an invitation to go all out. Bill and Emma went first, doing a rousing rendition of the Indiana Jones theme song, complete with multiple whips. Then came Corbin and Karina, who did a crazy (crazy good) Michael Jackson-meets-Cirque du Soleil routine to "Smooth Criminal," which blew everyone's socks off, then Jack and Cheryl with did a "showstopping" (according to the judges) hat-and-cane number, and finally, Amber and Derek finished things up with a Western-inspired saloon number – Len called her "Class, fast, and built to last" (now imagine it in a British accent). Aside from Bill, perfect scores were to be had all around – the dancers really had fun with their freestyle, and it sure showed.
After the numerous challenges came the dreaded elimination. Corbin and Karina and Amber and Derek were predictably safe, leaving Jack and Cheryl and Bill and Emma sweating under the lights. This time around, the reign of Bill Engvall finally came to an end: he was sent home. I'm quite glad he stuck around for so long – he was so well-liked by, well, everyone; his levity and charm made him compelling. And he and Emma had an absolutely adorable relationship; at the start of the episode he admitted, "I have a new best friend and fake-daughter," and after his elimination he echoed the sentiment.
Now, without any further ado, on to part II...as a first time DWTS-watcher, I was completely unprepared for the bonanza that lay ahead of me. It was quite the event – all of the contestants came back to dance encores, and there were live performances about with huge names including Lady Antebellum, Enrique Iglesias, Ylvis (which brought about the resurrection the ever-excellent Team Foxing Awesome), and Colbie Caillat.
Though with all of the replays and encores, we never lost sight of the true challenge that lay ahead: the fusion dances. Corbin and Karina took the stage first, with a cha-cha/foxtrot combo – it looked perfect to me, but apparently he missed a step at the end that led to nines as opposed to tens. Next up, Jack and Cheryl performed a Paso Doble/Salsa dance. Upon finishing, they got some pretty high praise from Len: citing his improvement week to week, Len told him, that out of al the dancers, "You have given me the most pleasure to watch." Finally, Amber and Derek did a near-flawless samba/quickstep concoction. Fun and energetic, it earned them a perfect score.
And finally, after much ado...the moment we've all been waiting for: the bequeathal of the coveted mirror ball trophy. Jack ended up taking third (he tied with his sister!), while Amber took the lead and Corbin second. Not a surprise, I guess? We knew right out of the gate that Corbin and Amber were the ones to beat (though to be fair, it was fun to watch Jack, the dark horse, come so close to the top). Quibbles aside – I mean, who can blame a reality competition for being predictable? – Amber definitely deserved the win; and let's hope she keeps on dancing!
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ABC
Former DWTS professional Maksim "Maks" Chmerkovskiy joined us on the other side of the judging table, where he was handily wedged in between Len Goodman and Bruno Tonioli. Bruno's playfully lecherous flirtation was, needless to say, pretty entertaining. Plus, in such close quarters, Bruno's wild gestures almost decapitated him at one point – luckily, Maks used his dancers' swift instincts to dodge.
The challenge this week was quite interesting as well; the dancers were given the task of performing two distinct dances to different versions (original and acoustic) of the same song – the theme was plugged/unplugged. High points included Amber Riley and Derek Hough's eye-poppingly energetic jazz dance to "Bad Romance," and Jack Osbourne and Cheryl Burke's fiery tango to the Moulin Rouge acoustic version of "Roxanne" (in the face of M.S. flare-ups, no less). Lowpoints: Bill Engvall and Emma Slater's half-baked "Sexy and I Know It" routine (he was pushing through a groin injury, but still), and Corbin Bleu and Karina Smirnoff's overly flame-inspired tango to "Light 'Em Up" (seriously, that was just too much fire. And what was with the hooded cloaks?)
We also got to hear a bit of each contestant's backstory, which was quite sentimental (schmaltzy even for DWTS, but that's why we love it) – we got to see how The Osbournes messed with Jack's childhood, and how Multiple Sclerosis now plagues his adulthood. Also notable were the struggles Amber faced with casting directors, largely based off of her race and weight. I almost wish we could have had these testimonials earlier in the season, but I guess going through it with all 12 of the original couples would have been overwhelming to say the least.
As for eliminations: the reign of Bill Engvall continues...it's getting tricky, isn't it? He truly is delightful (as the judges continually remind us before docking major points), and he has a compelling relationship with his partner – but how far should that take you on a dancing competition? The fan vote has saved him week after week after week, with technically more proficient dancers going home. With Brant Daugherty and Elizabeth Berkley, it was surprising, but with Leah, it was almost melancholy. The two of them came from the same place – both inexperienced dancers with enough personality to make up for it. But even though she has technically improved much more than he has, she was the one who was booted off the show.
We were sad to see her go. With her copious wisecracking, she brought a sense of levity to the show; watching her and Tony imitate each other's sexy faces at each other was kind of awesome. And while they didn't have the chemistry of say, Brant and Peta, you really got the sense that they were looking out for each other. Tony has oft voiced the opinion that Leah is what DWTS is all about – and in a lot of ways, she was. She came in insecure, with little-to-no dance experience (ahem, Corbin), and has slowly worked her way up to the semi-finals, all the way as an underdog through and through; someone you could root for. She in turn, has said how much his belief in her has meant to her as a competitor – their mutual respect for each other led to some lovely moments throughout the season, and as Corbin, Bill, Jack, and Amber continue on as finalists, she'll definitely be missed.
Stray Observations
* Worst costume of the week: Emma Slater's mesh bodysuit/furry-looking bikini.
* Some of the song covers were just plain awful. "Locked Out of Heaven" in the style of Evanescence? No. Just, no.
* Leah's daughter crying after her elimination was awfully precious.
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Jack Osbourne has all the more reason to celebrate making it to the final four on U.S. reality show Dancing With The Stars after suffering vision problems related to his battle multiple sclerosis (MS) battle. Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne's son was diagnosed with the autoimmune disease last year (12) and signed up for the ballroom dancing challenge in an effort to raise awareness about the illness.
The former TV daredevil, whose symptoms had been minimal of late, has managed to impress judges week after week with his fancy footwork with professional partner Cheryl Burke, but hours before hitting the dancefloor again on Monday (18Nov13), he took to his Facebook.com blog and revealed his MS had flared up again.
He told fans he woke up last week (ends15Nov13) with a "thumping migraine" and "vision problems with my left eye", adding, "At first I thought it was just another migraine, but as the day progressed, I started feeling those familiar zaps of pain down my legs and arms. After several weeks of being relatively symptom free of MS, this week it decided to give me a healthy reminder that it's still there."
Jack discussed his latest health troubles in a pre-taped video for Monday night's Dancing with the Stars episode, revealing his migraine and eye issues had significantly hindered his rehearsals - but his struggles didn't show as he secured his place in the final four with an impressive jazz dance and the Argentine Tango.
His mother has admitted his Facebook and video confessions were news to her - she had no idea Jack was having problems with his MS again.
Speaking on her U.S. daytime show The Talk on Tuesday (19Nov13), she said, "I'd been on a plane so I didn't see Facebook, I saw nothing. I literally got to the studio at five minutes after this how had started, sat down, Jack's... little video presentation came up and then he said that his eye was bothering him again and I never knew, so I just lost it. I completely lost it and well... he got through and I just can't thank everybody enough for supporting him..."
Osbourne will compete for the mirrorball trophy against actors Amber Riley and Corbin Bleu and comedian Bill Engvall.
Actress Leah Remini was voted off the show on Monday night.

ABC
The competition continues to get tighter – this week, the term "semi-finalist" was thrown around quite a bit. It turns out the semi-finals begin next week, and the dancers continued to up their game accordingly. Corbin and Karina danced a beautiful waltz (they always have the best outfits, amirite?), and fan favorites Jack Osborne and Leah Remini continued to climb their way up the scoreboard. Bill Engvall faltered, his exuberance only enough to earn him sevens across the board in light of his poor sense of rhythm.
This week's special challenge was the trio dance – it didn't sound quite as exciting as the freestyle, but it turned out to be hugely entertaining. For many of the dancers, adding in a third person to the group improved their dances exponentially. Elizabeth and Val (plus Gleb Savchenko) walked away with perfect 10s all around, and Corbin and Karina (plus Witney Carson) were so good that they drew comparisons to Bob Fosse. Carrie Ann was so charmed, she said something bleep-worthy – all we know is that it had something to do with Usher...?
And the best part of the trio dances? Leah (along with Tony Dovolani, and Henry Byalikov) decided to poke a bit of fun at the three judges (WATCH IT. No, seriously). I suppose as professional dancers, it would make sense that they would make great physical mimics – Tony in particular got Bruno's sweeping gestures down to a T!
Though the odds seemed stacked against Bill (he had the lowest score by quite a bit in both of this week's dances) his legions of fans were enough to keep him on for the semi-final round. He's stolen our hearts, along with the judges, who continue to express regret that they can't score him off of his likability rather than his poor rhythm. Great for Bill, but someone had to suffer this week. And that someone? Elizabeth Berkley. Even after her consistently stellar scores, her fans were not strong enough to save her.
I know nothing about dancing, but even I could tell she had a willowy elegance and sensibility that was a rare find on a reality show like DWTS. Her considerable skill, in addition to her wide (and oh-so-slightly crazy) eyes and rapport with partner Val Chmerkovskiy will make her sorely missed – she definitely belonged up on that semi-finalist stage! It makes you really think about the popularity contest aspect of the show. I suppose that the equally weighted scores means that the show itself really belongs equally to the fans as it does to the judges. But really, it goes to show you that your dancing's not necessarily going to get you that trophy. Like fellow proficient dancers Christina Milian and Brant Daugherty before her, Elizabeth went home before her time.
Stray observations:
* Loved the awkward cut to a reaction shot of Bill Engvall's wife as he extolled his two exceedingly gorgeous dance partners, Emma Slater and Peta Murgatroyd
* Okay I get that for whatever reason, ballroom dance costumes are often ridiculously ugly, but Jack's leopard-printed samba outfit was off the charts!
* There was a competition for best abs between Val Chmerkovskiy and Gleb Savchenko. Yes.
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Showgirls star Elizabeth Berkley has become the latest celebrity to waltz off U.S. TV show Dancing With The Stars following her shock elimination on Monday night (11Nov13). The actress and her dance partner Valentin Chmerkovskiy were voted off the show by the public, despite placing second behind Corbin Bleu and Karina Smirnoff after the judges round.
Berkley said, "I’m sad. There were some more things that we wanted to do, but I am honestly beyond grateful for this. This is one of the biggest gifts and blessings in my life and I want to thank everyone, especially Val. I’ve learned so much."
As well as former High School Musical star Bleu, comedian Bill Engvall, Amber Riley, Leah Remini and Jack Osbourne live to dance another day. The contest continues next week (18Nov13).

Title

Summary

His catchphrase "Here's your sign" made Bill Engvall one of the funniest men in America. A Texan comic who appealed to the Everyman, Engvall co-founded "Blue Collar Comedy Tour," a successful stand-up show that featured jokes from a "redneck" point of view. The three-year tour that also starred fellow comics Jeff Foxworthy, Ron White, and Larry the Cable Guy, spawned "Blue Collar Tour: The Movie" (Comedy Central, 2003), two sequels, and a weekly sketch show "Blue Collar TV" (The WB, 2004-06). All his hard work paid off in 2007 when Engvall began starring on his own TBS series, "The Bill Engvall Show," a hilarious look at a modern American family. If success was measured by how one reached their goal, then Engvall's career went far beyond anything he could have ever imagined for himself.